In Mark 5 we see two very different people coming to meet Jesus. Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, desperate and undignified throws himself at Jesus’ feet. In order to keep his daughter alive, he has to put her life in the hands of Jesus. At that time, sickness was mostly attributed to some grievous sin on that person’s part, or not making the proper sacrifice, or not getting rid of your uncleanness in the right way. So the community is thinking, “What must he have done to deserve that?” But in spite of that shame he doesn’t approach Jesus in secret or at night; he comes to what was one of the biggest crowds in Jesus’ ministry in full view and throws himself at his feet. Human desperation is usually, by necessity, undignified. But he knows enough about Jesus to know that Jesus will meet his desperation with compassion. The other person is nothing like Jairus at first glance: unknown, invisible, forgotten. She is alone because she was considered unclean for 12 years. She was poor and penniless, and rather than ruling the house of worship, she was banned from the house of worship. She has so much shame on her that her plan is not to throw herself at Jesus’ feet but to secretly blend in, just barely touching the edge of his robe. These two show that faith is the hand of the soul that reaches out to touch God and be healed of our unbelief and our sin. Faith is that hand that takes hold of Jesus as the only one who can heal and save.
